Fatwa No : 82173
What is the ruling on selling a Hajj quota?

What is the ruling on selling a Hajj quota?

What do the esteemed scholars and jurists say regarding the following matter that our government announces that companies intending to serve pilgrims should submit their applications. The names of the companies that apply are then registered by the government. Later, when the time comes, the government allocates a specific quota of pilgrims to these registered companies.
The question is that if a company receives such a quota, is it permissible for that company to sell the quota to another person?
Similarly, if a company that has received a quota has, for example, four individuals holding 25% shares each, can one of these individuals sell his share to another person in exchange for money?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be understood that the mentioned Hajj quota is merely an intangible right with no physical existence; therefore, its direct buying and selling is not permissible according to Shariah.
However, since obtaining this quota requires considerable effort, time investment, and financial expenses, it is regarded in commercial practice as something of value. Therefore, if the government grants the quota holder the right to transfer this quota, then giving it to someone else without compensation, or withdrawing in favor of another sincere individual or institution in exchange for some payment, is permissible and valid.
Similarly, if the quota is jointly held by multiple individuals, and one of them wishes to withdraw in favor of another person in exchange for compensation, then this too is considered permissible.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافی فقہ البیوع: وماقلنا فی حکم الاسم التجاری والعلامۃ التجاریۃ من جواز الاعتیاض عنھما یصدق علیٰ الترخیص التجاری وحقیقۃ ھذا الترخیص ان معظم الحکومات الیوم لاتسمح بایراد البضاعات من الخارج او اصدارھا الیہ الا برخصۃ تمنحھا الحکومۃ والذی یظھر ان ھذا نوع من الحجر علیٰ التجار(الیٰ قولہ) وان حامل ھذہ الرخصۃ ربما یبیعھا الیٰ آخر لیتمکن المشتری من استیراد البضائع من الخارج او یصدرھا الیہ بدلا من البائع والواقع فی مثل ھذہ الرخصۃ انھا لیست عینا مادیۃ ولکنھا عبارۃ عن حق بیع البضاعۃ فی الخارج او شرائھا منہ فیتأتی ماذکرنا فی الاسم التجاری من ان ھذا الحق ثابت اصالۃ،فیجوز النزول عنہ بمال وبما ان الحصول علیٰ ھذہ الرخصۃ من الحکومۃ یتطلب کلا من الجھد والوقت والمال وان لھذہ الرخصۃ صفۃ قانونیۃ تمثلھا الشھادات المکتوبۃ ویستحق بھا التجار تسھیلات توفرھا الحکومۃ لحاملیھا،فصارت ھذہ الرخصۃ فی عرف التجار ذات قیمۃ کبیرۃ یسلک بھا مسلک الاموال،فلایبعد ان تلتحق بالاعیان فی جواز بیعھا وشرائھا ولکن کل ذلک انما یتأتی اذا کان القانون یسمح بنقل ھذہ الرخصۃ الیٰ رجل آخر اھ(1/280)۔